News

Police calls: Road rage in Woodside

This information is based on reports from the Menlo Park Police Department and San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. Under the law, people charged with offenses are considered innocent unless convicted. Police received the reports on the dates shown.

WOODSIDE

Road rage: Bystanders reported seeing a man on a motorcycle breaking the side-view mirror of a vehicle parked at Roberts Market while the vehicle's owner was inside the market. The vehicle owner told deputies that he and the motorcyclist had been involved in a road-rage incident. Aug. 2.

Auto burglary: A briefcase containing business documents was stolen from a vehicle parked in the 3000 block of Highway 84 and found with a rear passenger side window smashed. Estimated loss: $600. July 31.

Thefts: An unlocked bicycle was stolen after the owner left it outside the Woodside Bakery in Town Center for about 40 minutes. The cyclist found his helmet and head scarf in the vicinity. On the bike was GPS unit and a pouch containing an old driver's license and the cyclist's house key. No estimate on losses. Aug. 1.

■ Leaving no indications of how the vehicle was entered, someone stole a safe from inside a vehicle parked at the end of Marsh Road. Estimated loss: $1,100. Aug. 9.

■ A pair of skis, a ham radio, sunglasses and a flashlight were stolen from a locked vehicle parked in a carport at Fremont Place, leaving no indications of how the vehicle was entered. Estimated loss: $750. Aug. 10.

Posted by Mark Toshland
a resident of Woodside: Mountain Home Road
on Aug 18, 2015 at 9:00 pm

Regarding the road rage story in Woodside: While I don't for a minute condone the breaking of a mirror on someone's car, I have to ask that people try not to get into arguments on the road. What can be more frustrating than having a lead car traveling too slowly for miles and miles, letting nobody pass him or her? This is maddening. Please people: If you notice you're not keeping up with the car in front of you, or you feel like taking it easy and driving more slowly than everyone else - fine! Just please = pull over and let everyone pass you! It only takes a few seconds, and believe me, everyone behind you will appreciate you so much!

Posted by Dirk
a resident of Atherton: other
on Aug 18, 2015 at 10:55 pm

@Mark, what if the lead car is going at or above the speed limit themselves? At what point does someone yield their shared right to the road while also passively condoning speeding? I often debate this case-by-case but typically settle on 'tough cookies' for the followers.

Posted by Menlo Voter
a resident of Menlo Park: other
on Aug 19, 2015 at 6:50 amMenlo Voter is a registered user.

Dirk:

if you have five or more cars backed up behind you whether you're doing the speed limit or not you are supposed to pull over and allow them to pass.

CVC 21656. On a two-lane highway where passing is unsafe because of
traffic in the opposite direction or other conditions, a slow-moving
vehicle, including a passenger vehicle, behind which five or more
vehicles are formed in line, shall turn off the roadway at the
nearest place designated as a turnout by signs erected by the
authority having jurisdiction over the highway, or wherever
sufficient area for a safe turnout exists, in order to permit the
vehicles following it to proceed. As used in this section A
SLOW-MOVING VEHICLE IS ONE WHICH IS PROCEEDING AT A RATE OF SPEED
LESS THAN THE NORMAL FLOW OF TRAFFIC at the particular time and
place.

Posted by fwiw
a resident of Woodside: other
on Aug 19, 2015 at 9:32 am

Also, if you're on I-5 driving 70 in the left lane, with traffic ripping by you to the right 10-20 mph faster, thinking that you are entitled to the left lane because you are driving the limit, you are violating the law:

21654. (a) Notwithstanding the prima facie speed limits, any vehicle proceeding upon a highway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at such time shall be driven in the right-hand lane for traffic or as close as practicable to the right-hand edge or curb, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction or when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.

(b) If a vehicle is being driven at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at such time, and is not being driven in the right-hand lane for traffic or as close as practicable to the right-hand edge or curb, it shall constitute prima facie evidence that the driver is operating the vehicle in violation of subdivision (a) of this section.